Operation of thin-film thermoelectric generator of Ge-rich poly-Ge1-xSnx on SiO2 fabricated by a low thermal budget process

A thin-film thermoelectric generator composed of p-and n-type poly-Ge1-xSnx (x similar to 0.02) on a Si(001) covered with SiO2 has been successfully fabricated by low thermal budget processes (under 300 degrees C) and demonstrated for the first time. Both the crystallization and dopant activation were simultaneously performed using pulsed UV laser irradiation in flowing water. A recorded activation ratio of Sb in the poly-Ge1-xSnx enabled a relatively high power factor (9.2 mu Wcm(-1) K-2 at RT), which is comparable to the counterparts of n-type Ge1-xSnx layers epitaxially grown on InP (001). (C) 2019 The Japan Society of Applied Physics